Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-09
BULL-FIGHTING.
AND IT'S ACCOMPANYING RIOT IN
THE MEXICAN CAPITAL.
A "society Event" Which Comes
to Grief Because the Bulls
Lacked Esprit de Corps.
lgDecial RrcoRp-UMos Correspondence


have briefly alluded to bull-fghting riot
which occurred in the City of Mexico not
many days ago, but few at the North can
form any conception Of what Mexican
riot is-what a maddened, bowling, I'M
manageable mob may be raised on slight
provocation To give you an idea of the
excitability of the people and the unrea-
sonable things they are prone to do, let
me tell you what transpired at the bull
fight in question. was not present my
self, but have the particulars from an
American gentleman who witnessed the
wild scene.
The occurrence was by no means rare
one in Mexico, but so common are riots
in the bull fighting arena, with which every
Mexican city is provided, as to occasion
little comment here. Indeed, so confidently
are they expected, quite as matter of
course, that a detachment of soldiers, fur
nished by the Government, are especially
detailed to attend every performance, in
every plaza de torres in Mexico, to keep
the peace" so far as possible. The dis
turbers are generally of the middle and
lower classes who are persistent ire
ouenters of the arena. The educated Mex
lean of the upper social strata-in whom
Spanish blood always predominates-will
tell you that the sight of gore stirs within
his humber countrymen some savage in
stinct inherited from their Aztec ancestors.
In my opinion, the fault is rather with the
Castilian element in this mixed race-for
nation such as Spain, which to this day de-
lights in the cruel and cowardly sports of
n
stincts than ever did the peaceful Aztecs
before the Spaniards found them. Most of
the
MEXICAN PLAzAs DE ToRRos
Are exceedingly primitive structures-gen-
erally a huge circle of adobe ten or twelve
feet high, covered outside with plaster
tinted sky-blue, strawberry red or pale yell
low. The central arena is surrounded by
wall OF boards, or of unhewn logs, Just
high enough to prevent the enraged ami
mails from leaping over among the specta-
TORS. Above this inner wall the seats arise.
tier upon tier to the ROTOR, rather, to the
scanty awning which serves to partially
protect spectators from the broiling sun.
Usually the seats are rough boards, set up
insecurity on stills, with a broad, plat
formed space below them reserved for the
aristocracy whose servants bring private
chairs for their masters and mistresses.
At one side an elevated stall for the man
ayers or Judges is partitioned off, and d.
rectly opposite is a similar one for the
music, while the seats upon either side of
the latter are filled with Government
troops with their swords and loaded rifles.
Under the Judge stand a narrow passage
way, securely walled, communicates from
the arena to the outer pen, where the bulls
are confined until admitted, one by one, to
meet the foe.
Many plazas de torros are not nearly so
fine as those above described. l have seen
number like that at Monterey. for eX-
ample), whose outer walls are composed of
frail stalks of wild bamboo, matched for a
little space around the edges with dried
grass, lin which scorpions, centipedes,
vipers and other vicious creatures love to
breed and drop down upon you); while
the seats are slender unhewn logs bound
together with ropes.
The Plaza de San Rafael, near the Next
can capital, is decidedly more swell than
the average, actually having boxes and re-
served seats. 1t strikes a stranger in Mex
leo as rather grotesque, not to say saerile-
gious, that even bull-rings should be
piously named after the saints; but he be-
comes accustomed to such incongruities as
2 hay-market in the Body OF Christ street,
the wine-shop of the Holy Ghost, the
dancing-hall of the Grown of Thorns,"
the casino of the Immaculate Conception,
and the bull-pen of the Blessed Virgin-all
of which, and many more equally startling
in nomenclature, may be found in this
funny country.
The most famous bull-fghter in all Cen
trail America is
SENIOR DON ANTONIO MAZzANT1NI.
So great is his fame that at every Ftncion
de T0rrOS in which he is to appear the most
exorbitant prices are charged. AT the fight
in question the lowest seats and standing
room sold for IS each and upward, while
the reserved chairs and boxes were in great
demand at incredible figures. Don MAJ
zantini was performing under the auspices
of a Puebla company-and, by the way,
that historic city known as "Puebla de Los
Angeles" is now famous for the best bull
fights to be found in the republic MAJ
zantini debut in the Mexican capital had
been immensely doomed in advance,
with the view of making it a social event,
second only in brilliancy and Importance
10 PATHS recent triumphs here.
On the Wednesday of the performance
every avenue leading from the capital to-
ward the plaza was crowded with carriages.
That fashionable boulevard called the
Paseo de la Reforma (laid out by Emperor
Maximilian), Mexico's Broadway the
magnificent Gale de San Francisco, lined
with palaces-the avenue de Juarez and
other streets, were literally packed with
crowded horse cars, hacks and eager pedes-
trians-all moving toward the same goal.
Around the plaza, for several blocks, Fed
eral troops were stationed, ON foot and
horse, all with loaded Remingtons at their
backs and bayoneted rifles in their hands.
while the fierce sandal-shod Rurales
dashed about on their scrubby little broncos,
ready, with swords and pistols, for any
emergency. Around each entrance to the
plaza stood Gordon of soldiers with
drawn beyonets, and others upon horse
hurried hiiher and thither among the car
riageS, vainly endeavO-ing to keep the
avenues open.
Long before , o'clock p. NJ. the great am
phitheater was crowded 10 its utmost ca
paeity, thousands beng present-including
large number of ladies, and the beauty,
wealth, elegance and fashion of the gay
metropolis There were two splendidly-
equipped military bands, which are reck-
oned among the finest in the world, and
everywhere waved flags and banners. Over
the stalls of the managers and musicians
Heated the national red, white and green,
with the emblem and escutcheon of Mexico,
interviewer with the colors of the United
States and other countries; and when the
two bands struck up together the soul-stir-
ring national anthem,
"MEXfcANos AL CRITIC DE GUERRA"
The enthusiasm was indescribable. For
a calm-tempered Northerner, sitting peace
fully in his quiet home, it is impossible to
form any idea of the fever heat of excite
ment which may possess crowd like this
in the tropics, where as the heated earth
the human clay is kindled." The blood of
these passionate and unstable Mexicanos
was already boiling with undisciplined
fervor-as liable 70 bubble over in one
direction as another-to pelt the actor with
roses and diamonds and TO pull his carriage
themselves through the city streets las
they lately served Patti, or 10 demand his
death if disappointed in him. Such,
fancy, must have been the popular pulse
when gladiators fought in the Coliseum in
the days of Nero, and Roman danes of
high degree enjoyed the scenes of butchery.
When Mazzantini skipped into the arena,
gorgeously robed in green and gold. his
breast blazing with jeweled decorations
and a thousand little balls dancing all over
him-d Ia Castillano, amid the crash OF
bands, the still more deafening plaudits of
the people and shower of bouquets rained
upon him from all sides-nobody could
have guessed what was soon TO follow.
Now came in half a dozen mounted plea
dOrs in mucl-bespangled SPANISH Jackets